Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) relates to a family of specifications of an XML-based file for describing two-dimensional vector graphics, both static and dynamic (i.e. interactive or animated).
Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) is particularly suited for publishing rich content on mobile devices. This is because SVG allows for a compact representation of vector graphics. SVG can be scaled to arbitrary sizes eliminating the problem associated with screen dimension proliferation on mobile devices. With SVG, graphics appear equally well across multiple screen sizes. These scalable graphics do not have any inherent pixel size and hence they can be scaled very easy. Thus, SVG is resolution independent and uses less bandwidth.
Also, SVG graphics can easily be animated, made interactive, and styled and/or formatted. These attributes take SVG's capabilities beyond the scope of any previously existing graphic standard.
However, while the SVG format provides several benefits as stated above, since it is XML based, a typical SVG description is too verbose when it comes to transmission of the description over restricted networks such as mobile networks. To address this problem, Tiny & Basic SVG (http://www.w3.org/TR/SVGMobile/) was developed. However, while these formats reduce the total size compared to regular SVG and may be appropriate for an HTTP based (GPRS/3G) mobile transport, it is still too big when such images need to be transmitted over SMS messages. Transmitting a Tiny or Basic SVG over SMS would take several SMS messages making it non-optimal.
The invention described herein presents a significantly more compressed version of SVG than the aforementioned efforts which is suitable for delivery over severely limited transport mechanisms such as SMS (in addition to being applicable for HTTP transport mechanisms)